4/28 Friday: Erwin, TN to Little Bald Knob 17.9mi

Hello Everyone...Just arrived in Damascus, Va a few hours ago and after taking care of the essentials, laundry, shower, lunch, and picking up my care package, I'll take some time to update the blog... Unfortunately the public library wont let me upload any pics, apparently afraid I'll infect their computer with a deadly virus. So I'll do the text entries now and upload pics ASAP...

I departed the Holiday Inn Express in Erwin, Tn after sampling their continental breakfast and headed out with Steve on the 1mi hike to the trail... One of the free shuttles caught up with us and saved us about a half mile. We hit the trail about 0830 and started the ascent. Every time we come to a road we have to descend down to it and once there you have to climb back up to the ridge to begin your walk. These ups and downs are not as significant in north Tn as they were in Georgia...Thank God!The day was uneventful, with beautiful spring weather in the 70s and partly cloudy; great hiking weather... We made good time to our shelter and decided to have dinner at the Cherry Gap Shelter with a Father and Son hiking team... We finished dinner around 1800 and decided to get in another couple of miles to Little Bald Knob where we set up camp for a peaceful night at 1900.
PICTURES:
1. Nice view looking back toward Erwin climbing a bald on my way North...
2. Up, Up, Up, Talk about your trip hazards... I always take a moment to stop and look around... with trails like this you would roll your ankles otherwise... And this is a typical trail...
3. I really love walking through a pine forest... plenty of pine needles fallen to pad your steps...
4. Thats Steve on the left and Paul who is with his Son John at the Cherry Gap Shelter. We had dinner with Paul and John (John is Retired Navy also) before moving another 5mi to camp on the Little Bald Knob Mtn.
5. Nice sunset pic from beyond my tent on the ridge below Little Bald Knob... We chose to descend from the mtn. to escape some of the wind and cold... Found an pretty level spot on an abandoned logging road and set up camp... Nice night...